Take My Picture, Steal My Soul
by noelowl
Summary: A singing John is embarrassed to find he has an audience outside his apartment window. A mysterious photographer who wants to take his picture. Flustered, he agrees. A week later he checks his mail to find an invitation to an art show. John/Dave Multi-Chapter NYC Art Scene AU. (Rated M for future smut and drug usage.)
1. Chapter 1: Can I Take Your Picture?

John awoke to a soft, gray light filtering between the blinds on his bedroom window. He knew without looking that the day was overcast, a perfect day in his humble opinion. He sat up in bed, smiling, grabbing his glasses and pushing them onto his face, adjusting his twisted up socks before padding down the stairs to the main floor. He lived in a duplex apartment just across the river into Bronx, NY. It consisted of two main rooms, a combination kitchen/living room made up the first floor and his bedroom made up the second, and two bathrooms.

As he reached the first floor he looked out the big bay windows towards Manhattan, the sky was a blanket of grey. He hummed a bit under his breath as he walked over to his morning shrine, otherwise known as Mr. Coffee, and poured a cup, sweetening it into oblivion. He paused his humming and took a cautious sip; perfect. He started humming a bit louder, mumbling words here and there;

"Hmm hmm hmmmm hmm rain, I don't mind, hmmmm, the world looks fine." He paused again and wandered over to the closest window and pushed it open, breathing in the sweet rainy smell and checking to see if anyone was around, there was nobody. He sat on the ledge and sang loudly.

_"I can show you when it starts to rain_  
_everything's the same_  
_I can show you, I can show you_  
_rain, I don't mind_  
_shine, the world looks fi-"_

A glint caught his eye and cut him off, he looked down at the street and was embarrassed to find that he had an audience. A blond man in dark aviators, despite the weather, was watching him sing, holding a camera loosely in one hand.

"Oh! Oh, I-I uhhh..." John stammered, a flush peeking out from his shirt collar and quickly rising to the roots of his hair. The stranger was impassive, John was frozen in place. "Uhh..S-sorry, I-Uhhh.."

Finally a small smile pulled at the corners of the strangers mouth and he raised his camera slightly.

"Do you think I could take your picture?" He had a slight southern drawl.

"Uh..What?" John's face turned impossibly redder at the strange request, a hand flying up instinctively to brush through his messy, black hair.

"It's for a project, promise I'm not some whackjob." That small smile again. John noticed the stranger was especially attractive when he gave that small, almost reluctant smile. This observation didn't help the absurd hue his face still remained.

"Well..sure. I guess." John sat awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Luckily as the blond man raised the camera to his face he directed him.

"Just sit back and look up, the way you were before." John did as he was told, breathing in the cool air, trying to slow the blood flow to his face. He heard several snaps and clicks and he turned slightly for a peak at what the blond was doing. He was turning the camera this way and that almost lazily, he snapped a few more then dropped the camera back around his neck.

"Thanks, Man."

"Yeah..no prob." Said John as the stranger turned and moseyed down the street, turning the nearest corner. John ran his hands through his hair, laughing a bit, that was pretty weird.

"Hey!" called the drawling voice, John looked up, the blond had appeared around the corner again. "The Beatles. Nice Choice." And when he smiled this time he didn't hold back, flashing straight, white teeth, holding out his thumb in approval. John smiled back awkwardly and the stranger disappeared again.

John couldn't help but think of how the last smile had seemed to transform the blond into an entirely different person. The flush started to race back up his neck and he pushed himself away from the window, embarrassed at such a reaction. He effectively spilled his coffee all over the floor, creating a good distraction from the thoughts that threatened to overwhelm him.

_How could such a weird experience have such a dumb effect on me?_ He thought as he wiped the sticky mess from the floor.

* * *

Dave walked down the street, taking his time, snapping pictures here and there; a woman cleaning a store display, a man tossing his giggling daughter high in the air. He loved taking pictures of people, provided they were un-posed. He liked those candid shots, accidental displays of a purer, more beautiful nature.

He turned onto a street that appeared to be empty and started to turn back when he heard a voice. A singing voice. A singing-The-Beatles voice. Intrigued he followed the sound of it, coming upon an old factory-turned-apartment complex building. A man who looked about his own age of 24 sat in the window singing "Rain", he looked young and wistful, beautiful.

Dave wandered over and stood in the street, watching the boy sing. He moved slightly to raise his camera and the singing stopped. The brunette looked down at him, shocked, his face quickly turning red. Dave had never seen someone show such quick emotion before. Not in New York, not even back in Dallas.

"Oh! Oh, I-I uhhh..." The young man stammered, quickly transforming into a tomato. "Uhh..S-sorry, I-Uhhh.."

Dave tried to resist the urge to smile but couldn't, his mouth pulled up a bit at the sides before he was able to return to his impassive expression.

"Do you think I could take your picture?" He said, his accent coming through...wait. That was weird. He usually had his accent as under control as his expression.

"Uh..What?" The newly created tomato-man said, running a hand nervously through his insanely messy hair.

"It's for a project, promise I'm not some whackjob." He lost his cool expression again, what an off morning.

"Well..sure. I guess." He replied, looking nervous and out-of-place.

"Just sit back and look up, the way you were before." Said Dave and, amazingly, he did, moving easily back into the same position and expression. Dave snapped a few pictures and was just about finished when the brunette glanced his way, his expression falling into one of curiosity. Dave couldn't resist but snap several more, the emotion on his face was so raw.

_It probably has a lot to do with those huge blue eyes._ He was surprised at the thought as it passed through his mind and he dropped his camera back around his neck, ready to leave before more of these absurd thoughts decided to invade him like the pod people.

"Thanks, Man." He turned to leave and as he was walking away the strange little songbird called after him;

"Yeah..no prob."

Dave wandered around the next corner before stopping and retracing his steps. He walked back around the corner and looked back at the brunette. He was laughing a bit and running his hands through his hair. Dave wanted to take more pictures of his honest expression but instead called out again.

"Hey!" He dropped his hands and looked over, shocked. "The Beatles. Nice Choice." He gave a thumbs up and smiled widely at the stranger, shocking himself at his lack of facial control, before disappearing again around the corner. As he walked he couldn't help but think of how those big blue eyes seemed to shine as he smiled in return, bearing goofy, childish teeth.

Dave shook his head to clear his thoughts, picking up his camera again, searching for a good distraction from the image that threatened to fill his head. A childish face with big, blue eyes and messy hair.

* * *

**Author's Note: I had no beta this time 'round so please excuse any errors. I read through it myself several times but you know how it is. Feedback is very much welcome! Thanks for reading Chapter 1, I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for chapter 2, coming ASAP. -owl**


	2. Chapter 2: You're Invited

It'd been a week, a rough week, and John had all but forgotten about the weird guy that'd taken his picture. He was neck-deep in crumpled up sheet music and hunched over his piano, hands pulling at his hair in frustration. It'd been a very rough week, especially for his creative muse. The day after the 'Picture Incident' John got a call from his old music professor, commissioning him to write several piano pieces for, as she said "A private affair." At first he was excited, he hadn't had a commission in weeks and was almost running on back-up funds, but now...oh now.

He sat with his hand sin his hair, humming a series of notes then shaking his head and mumbling angrily. He sighed and slammed his head against the keys. CLANK BRANG BRUNG _tinkle_. Wait. What was that? He lifted his head and tested a few keys before finding the accidental combination again. He smiled. Now we're talking.

* * *

"Hello?"

"Hello! Yes, Professor Lalonde!"

"Ah, John, how is it coming along?"

"Good. Great, actually! I'm finished."

"Wow, I'm impressed! Though I shouldn't be surprised. Have you checked your mail today?"

"Uhh..No? Should I?"

"Yes. I expect I'll be speaking with you again soon, John."

"Alright? Thank you again, Professor."

* * *

John was curious now, he hung up the phone and went out the front door, jogging downstairs to the community mailboxes. He pulled the key off the ring and quickly opened his box, pulling out a wad of bills and magazines. He shuffled through them as he reascended the steps, more slowly this time, until he came upon a smaller, more delicate envelope. On the front was his name, John Egbert, and only his name. That was...well really weird. He opened the envelope, sticking the other junk under his arm, and pulled out an equally delicate piece of paper. Unfolding it he read:

_Mr. Egbert,_

_We are pleased with that you have agreed to compose the featured musical pieces for our Gala this weekend. You have our thanks and our sincere invitation of your attendance. It is a black tie affair so we would request that you dress accordingly. You will find the date and address on the back of this letter. The festivities begin at 9pm, but we would also request that you arrive at least an hour earlier to run over the music with our performer._

_Thank you again, Mr. Egbert, we will be pleased to see you there!_

It wasn't signed but he did find the info on the back, the date was for this very weekend. He strode back into his apartment and plopped on his couch.

_It is a black tie affair so we would request that you dress accordingly._

Looks like he'd have to break into his back-up funds after all.

* * *

Dave got home from his day out taking pictures earlier than he'd expected. The run-in with the blue-eyed brunette gave him a good idea. He plugged his camera into his laptop and left it to upload all the photos while he made a phonecall.

* * *

"You've reached The Ball Room, how may I help you?"

"Jade? It's Dave, I've got a special request."

A sigh from the other end.

"Look, Jade, it's a fairly simple request."

"Alright, Dave, but this is the last one, the show is in a little over a week."

"I know, I know, chill. I just want some music playing, live music."

"Live! Dave, you'll be the death of me I swear."

"Just a few twinkly fucking piano pieces, nothin' too majestic."

"What even brought this on, Dave, I thought you wanted us to play this CD you gave us yesterday?"

"Yeah well the feature of the event has changed."

"Dave!"

"Don't worry your little head, Jade, I got this fuckin' covered like a newborn baby."

Another sigh. "You're really lucky that I'm so patient. You're also really lucky that I've got good connections around this city. I know a professor who can find us a composer and a musician."

"That's great, Jade, I fuckin' owe you big time."

"Yeah, you really do."

* * *

He hung up and wandered back over to his computer, snatching an apple along the way. The photos were uploaded, it was time to work some movie magic. Except, you know, on pictures. Whatever.

He turned on his stereo and went to work, tweaking the images here and there, working for the rest of the day and through the night, taking special care of the ones featuring a certain goofy brunette. A certain goofy new feature piece.


	3. Chapter 3: Centerpiece

John's taxi pulled up outside of a posh, modern building; two stories with a rooftop garden. It was beautiful, all windows and columns and full of green plants. He swallowed and whipped out his wallet, paying the driver before hopping out the door. He brushed at the suit he bought earlier that week, adjusting his tie and feeling very stuffy and self-conscious. As he approached the doors a dark-haired bespectacled woman inside smiled at him and held the door open.

"Welcome! You're John, then?" She said as he entered, extending her hand.

"Yeah..Yes! Yes, that's me." He stammered a bit and grasped her hand, she had a surprisingly firm grip.

"Well you are right on time! I'm afraid our musician is not though." A frown creased her forehead. "You know I should call him...The buffet's just over there if you'd like, or if you'd rather, the bar's on the second floor." She winked and trotted of. John looked around the room, it was all marble and glass and plant life, he could see the buffet on the other side of the room, the sparkling crystal. Nobody else had arrived yet and it was unnervingly quiet, he decided he could go for a drink. He scanned the room for an elevator but found a spiral staircase instead, he slowly made his way up.

When he got to the top and looked up he almost fell right back down the stairs like some sort of ridiculous character in a web comic. He was staring at a wall in the middle of the room, one of many, covered in smaller pictures all surrounding several enormous pictures of himself. He walked up to the wall, extremely confused, and extended a hand

"What the-"

"Hey don't touch that!" An alarmed male voice spoke from somewhere behind him. John whipped around and-

"What are you doing here?!" They both spoke at once, gaping at each other.

"What am I...what is this?!" John said, breaking the awkward silence that ensued, gesturing to himself then wildly over his shoulder at the pictures.

The blond before him opened his mouth so speak when the dark-haired woman from before bounded up the stairs, interrupting.

"Dave! Bad news, the musician isn't coming, he's sick!"

"What?!" Said the blond-

_Dave._ John mentally reprimanded himself. His name is Dave.

"What are we going to do now?" Dave groaned.

"Maybe Rose can get us a replacement?" Replied the dark-haired woman.

"This short-notice? Not even Rose is that good."

"Hey...guys?" John said, but they weren't listening.

"Can we still play the music you gave me before?"

"Um...Guys?"

"We didn't rent the right goddamn equipment!"

"We could just go without music."

"Jade. Don't be ridiculous."

"HEY!" John shouted and they both turned to him as if they'd forgotten he was there.

"Umm...Well I..I wrote the music so..I could..You know. Play it too."

"Of course!" Jade exclaimed clapping her hands. "You'd do that?"

"Yeah..I mean.." He glanced at Dave's impassive shades. "I'm kinda already here and..suited up. And well I am on the wall." He laughed nervously. A small smirk flashed across Dave's face then was gone again, it made John all the more eager to help out. Maybe he could show off a bit even?

"Thank you so much!" Jade threw her arms around him and pecked him on the blushing cheek. "You're a hero!" John smiled, stuffing his hands in his pants pocket.

"Oh my gosh where are my manners!" Said Jade and extended her hand again. "My name is Jade, Jade Harley. And this is Dave Strider, the artist. I'm..sure you've met before." She said and laughed, turning to the wall of photographs.

"Just briefly." Dave said, a hint of that smirk playing on his face.

"I'm John, John Egbert." He shook both their hands, hesitating in Dave's grip just slightly before letting go.

* * *

_John, huh?_ Dave thought as he shook John's hand, lingering there slightly before letting go. _Let's see what this kid's got._

* * *

**Author's Note: I am so so so sorry for the long wait and the incredibly short chapter. I had a mega bad case of writer's block but I've recently had...well a bit of inspiration. ;) Anyway I hope you enjoy and I hope that you forgive the long break and I hope that I can write some more ASAP and not keep you all waiting like that again.**

**Thank you so much for all the favourites and reviews you are all so incredibly wonderful. I'm glad you're all enjoying the story and my writing. You guys are seriously gonna make me cry I love you all. *gives you all big hugs and smooches* -owl**


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